UNROLL
A golden autumn evening in the temple court: great heaps of bound sheaves, clay jars, baskets of fruit and bowls of honeycomb stand along the paving before the long, plain stone house and its two bronze pillars, under a calm amber sky.

The Book of

2 Chronicles 31

The people gave a tenth of everything. Four months later the heaps were so high there was plenty left over.

21 verses≈ 5 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1SolomonWisdom asked at Gibeon
  2. 2–5The templeBuilt on Mount Moriah
  3. 6–7DedicationIf My people humble themselves
  4. 8–9Solomon's gloryThe queen of Sheba
  5. 10–16DivisionRehoboam to Asa
  6. 17–20JehoshaphatThe battle is God's
  7. 21–24Dark yearsJehoram to Joash
  8. 25–28Proud kingsAmaziah to Ahaz
  9. 29–32HezekiahDoors opened, Passover keptChapter 31
  10. 33–35Manasseh to JosiahMercy and the Book found
  11. 36Exile and returnMay he go up

The Destruction of Idols

Late morning across a valley in the hill country: on a far, rounded hilltop small figures of men break up a low stone platform and pull down a plain wooden pole that is toppling, a rough standing stone lying broken on its side.

When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property.

0:21

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Hezekiah reestablished the divisions of the priests and Levites—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—for the burnt offerings and peace offerings, for ministry, for giving thanks, and for singing praises at the gates of the LORD’s dwelling.

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Contributions for Worship

The king contributed from his own possessions for the regular morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts, as written in the Law of the LORD.

Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.

As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously provided the firstfruits of the grain, new wine, oil, and honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance—a tithe of everything. And the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things consecrated to the LORD their God, and they laid them in large heaps.

In the third month they began building up the heaps, and they finished in the seventh month.

An autumn morning in the temple court: the young king in a deep-blue robe stands before great heaps of sheaves, jars and baskets with his hands lifted in blessing, a few officials beside him wondering, priests and Levites by the heaps, the long plain stone house behind.

When Hezekiah and his officials came and viewed the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel.

Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps,

Azariah the chief priest

and Azariah, the chief priest of the household of Zadok, answered him, “Since the people began to bring their contributions into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and there is plenty left over, because the LORD has blessed His people; this great abundance is what is left over.”

Question

Quick question

The firstfruits and the tithes came in, and they were laid in large heaps in the house of the LORD.

How long did the people keep building up the heaps?

Hezekiah’s reform

Doorsopenedthe firstmonth(29:3)Housecleansedsixteendays(29:17)Atonementfor allIsrael(29:24)Songrestoredwith theoffering(29:27)PassoverBeersheba toDan (30:5)IdolsbrokenJudah toManasseh(31:1)Tithesheaped upfour months(31:7)

Whiteboard

Hezekiah began at the house of the LORD and worked outward: from the doors and the altar, to the people of all Israel at the Passover, to the hills of the land, and to the gifts they brought. Worship put right came first, and the rest followed.

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

Portions

Portions for all

  1. Boys three and older on duty

    In addition, they distributed portions to the males registered by genealogy who were three years of age or older—to all who would enter the house of the LORD for their daily duties for service in the responsibilities of their divisions—

  2. Priests by families; Levites from twenty

    and to the priests enrolled according to their families in the genealogy, as well as to the Levites twenty years of age or older, according to their responsibilities and divisions.

  3. Little ones, wives, sons and daughters

    The genealogy included all the little ones, wives, sons, and daughters of the whole assembly. For they had faithfully consecrated themselves as holy.

  4. Priests on the farmlands

    As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around each of their cities or in any other city, men were designated by name to distribute a portion to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed by the genealogies.

So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God. He acted with all his heart in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.

2 Chronicles 31:20–21

Reflect

Enough, and plenty left over

The people gave first, and Azariah could say, “we have had enough to eat, and there is plenty left over.” Hezekiah acted “with all his heart,” and all of it “in order to seek his God.” What would giving to God first look like for you this month, in money, time or attention? Write it down.

You’ve experienced

2 Chronicles 31

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A verse to carry with you

He acted with all his heart in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.

2 Chronicles 31:21

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